Student Firefighters Contract MRSA Superbug at FDNY Academy

Probationary firefighters at the Randall's Island facility, seen her in 2009, have contracted the bacterial infection known as MRSA. View Full Caption

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RANDALL'S ISLAND — Several probationary firefighters at the FDNY Academy have contracted a serious drug-resistant bacterial infection and at least one has had to be hospitalized, according to officials.

The students from the current class, which began in July, were pulled from the academy after the first case of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, was reported last week, according to the FDNY.

At least one trainee in the class was hospitalized as a result of the infection but has since been released, according to a source.

An official with the FDNY said "less than 10" probationaries were removed and placed on medical leave, and of those "several" had confirmed cases of MRSA.

Some of the students who have been placed on medical leave did not have a confirmed diagnosis but were removed for precautionary reasons, the official said.

In the wake of the infections equipment was cleaned, but the academy was not shut down.

The FDNY was also consulting with the Department of Health on best steps to prevent the spread at the Randall's Island facility.

Equipment at the academy has been scrubbed clean and every probationary firefighter has been ordered to wear knee pads during crawling drills to prevent scrapes, an official said.

They will also be told to bring in their own exercise mats and open wounds will be given special consideration going forward, according to the official.

The students from the 300-plus trainee class who were removed for medical reasons may be forced to sit out until the next class in January if they miss too much of the aggressive 18-week program, an official said.

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